ALVARADO'S STROKE DESIGNATION RECOGNIZED IN U.S. NEWS & WORLD REPORT

ALVARADO'S STROKE DESIGNATION RECOGNIZED IN U.S. NEWS & WORLD REPORT

07-23-2010

Alvarado Hospital Recognized for Achievement in Stroke Care

Alvarado Hospital has been recognized for achievement in using evidence-based guidelines to provide the best possible care to patients through The American Heart Association/American Stroke Association’s (ASA/AHA) Get With The Guidelines® program. Alvarado Hospital also is the American Heart Association – San Diego Division’s first-ever Stroke Champion sponsor. The goal of the collaboration is to raise awareness about the signs and symptoms of stroke—the nation’s third-leading killer—and to emphasize the importance of early intervention during a stroke.

Alvarado Hospital and 814 other hospitals are featured in a special advertisement in the "America’s Best Hospitals” issue of U.S. News & World Report (August issue) to commemorate their receipt of GWTG Gold Performance Achievement Award. A total of 961 awards were given for achievement in coronary artery disease, stroke and/or heart failure treatment. Hospitals recognized in each category achieve at least 85 percent compliance to GWTG measures. Those achieving 85% compliance for 24 consecutive months receive the Gold Performance Achievement Award.

GWTG is a hospital-based quality-improvement program designed to ensure that hospitals consistently care for cardiac and stroke patients following the most up-to-date guidelines and recommendations. The program addresses coronary artery disease, heart failure and stroke. Currently more than 1,400 hospitals participate in the program.

"The American Heart Association is pleased to recognize its top Get With The Guidelines participants,” said. Dr. Lee Schwamm, national chairman of the GWTG steering committee, associate professor of neurology at Harvard Medical School and vice chairman of neurology at Massachusetts General Hospital. "Healthcare providers who use these guidesline are armed with the latest evidence-based guidelines and immediate access to clinical decision support, using a set of tools that have been shown to improve delivery of evidence-based care. The goal of this initiative is to improve the quality of life and help reduce deaths and disability among patients with heart disease and stroke."

Dr. Schwamm continued, "Published scientific studies are providing us with more and more evidence that GWTG works. Patients are getting the right care they need when they need it. That’s resulting in improved survival.”

"We are proud that the AHA/ASA have chosen the ‘America’s Best Hospitals’ issue of U.S. News & World Report to recognize Alvarado Hospital and our achievements in their Get With The Guidelines program,” said Alvarado Hospital CEO Harris Koenig. "Get With The Guidelines gives our professionals the tools and reports they need to effectively treat our patients."